Amy Renee Leiker
The Wichita Eagle
SEDGWICK COUNTY, Kan. — Within hours of her release Monday from the Sedgwick County Jail, authorities caught a Wichita woman inside the downtown Historic County Courthouse, eating stolen Girl Scout cookies and blaring Cardi B.
Authorities discovered Laura Christine Folau’s nighttime caper when she pulled a fire alarm around 3 a.m. Tuesday and drew the attention of courthouse security staff, Sedgwick County sheriff’s Lt. Tim Myers said.
Officers rushed to the building, 510 N. Main, after the alarm sounded and found the 47-year-old inside rummaging through offices on the second and third floors, officials said.
She was also scarfing down the cookies and playing music by the popular female rapper on a courthouse computer, Myers said.
Law enforcement promptly hauled her back to jail.
She had just been freed from the Sedgwick County Jail at about 10 p.m. Monday when she crossed Main Street and broke into the historic courthouse through a window, authorities said.
Folau was in jail before the break in for an unrelated crime. Wichita police arrested and jailed her around 4 p.m. Monday for shoplifting cellphones, screen protectors and headphones from the Verizon store at 5611 E. Harry, police spokesman Officer Charley Davidson said. She also battered the police officer who arrested her at the phone store, he said.
In additional to “minor damage” inside the historic courthouse — home to the county’s election office, small claims court, human resources, the court trustee’s office and other departments — authorities found damaged outdoor lights near a flagpole on the grounds, Sedgwick County spokeswoman Kate Flavin said by email.
Folau made a first appearance in Sedgwick County District Court on Thursday on burglary, misdemeanor theft and misdemeanor criminal damage to property charges related to the break in.
The theft charge accuses her of stealing Girl Scout cookies valued less than $1,500.
The criminal damage to property charge alleges she caused less than $1,000 in damage to a window and lights.
The burglary charge is a felony.